Tuesday, September 2, 1999 a day I will never forget.

I could barely sleep the night before, almost to the point of no sleep. I can still remember my alarm blaring at 6:00am and the sound of my small fan chugging along.

My mom came in and grabbed me, I got dressed and sauntered downstairs. I could barely eat my waffels and I managed to chug down an instant breakfast.

It wasn't long until I was summoned, the recruiter was right on time. The sun had not even risen and I was walking out the door. I gave my parents and my sister a hug before walking away. I can still see my mother crying her eyes out, my sister told me she cried the whole day.

I spent the day at the federal building and it was around noon when I took the bus to the airport. I couldn't even eat, and the trip down to Atlanta was a blur. I remember getting on the bus and the long drive through the night to South Carolina.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of when I left for the Army. I was scared to death, I was away from home for the first time, I had no clue who anybody was, and I knew I was going to be here for a while. I remember the snotty corporals who barked orders considering we were just a hair below them in rank. I remember the day I shipped out for Basic Training and we all got smoked hard for no reason.

I will never forget the lessons of Basic Training-discipline, strength, honor, teamwork, and independence. I learned to resist fear, how to organize, and how to separate my feelings from what must be done. I learned the meaning of duty, honor, and loyalty-I shed my fears and became a man that fall. I still carry those lessons today as I use the discipline and strenght I developed to finish up my Master's Degree and support my family.

No lesson here today, just wanted to share.

Former PV2 RRT.